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FRANK AND BERT

Name: FRANK AND BERT
Author: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
ISBN: 9798887770000

From the Frank and Bert series , Vol. 1

by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros ; illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023

An uplifting and eye-catching tale in which being a good friend trumps winning every time.

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Who is a better friend, Bert or Frank?

Bert, a huge, lumbering bear, and Frank the fox are BFFs who love to play hide-and-seek, but Bert is terrible at it. His idea of a killer hiding spot? The top of a tree with absolutely no foliage. Bert never wins, but he wants to—at least once—and argues that counting to 10 doesn’t give him enough time. Frank agrees to count to 100, and Bert races over hills and across a body of water and into a cave. Surely, Frank won’t find him now. But, unbeknownst to Bert, his scarf caught on a tree limb and unraveled, leaving a clear trail of his journey that Frank follows. But just before Frank reaches out to yank Bert’s tail, Frank realizes how sad Bert will be if he is found. Instead, Frank shouts, “I GIVE UP!” and Bert is the happiest bear in the world. Back home, ever the friend, Frank reknits Bert’s scarf. This sweet friendship tale brims with both humor and heart. Illustrations, perfect for storytime, consist of large textured blocks of rich colors highlighted against a white background; Bert’s bright pink scarf and Frank’s blue hat pop beautifully. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An uplifting and eye-catching tale in which being a good friend trumps winning every time. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 2, 2023

ISBN: 9798887770000

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Nosy Crow

Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
FRANK AND BERT
by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros ; illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

- BOOK REVIEW
FRANK AND BERT
by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros ; illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

- BOOK REVIEW
OUT OF NOWHERE
by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros ; illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

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PEANUT BUTTER & CUPCAKE

by Terry Border ; illustrated by Terry Border ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2014

Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...

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The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.

Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.

Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: July 29, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
SCAREDY SNACKS!
by Terry Border ; illustrated by Terry Border

- BOOK REVIEW
SNACK ATTACK!
by Terry Border ; illustrated by Terry Border

- BOOK REVIEW
BIG BROTHER PEANUT BUTTER
by Terry Border ; illustrated by Terry Border

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)